 Poster: A snowHead
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In the village where I live we have 38 Covid cases for approx. 8000 People. Looks like it would be safer for me to go to St Anton. 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@DB, same here, we have had 2 or 3 new cases a day in the village for the past couple of weeks, though some signs of the number of new cases dropping off.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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https://www.meinbezirk.at/landeck/c-lokales/flexenarena-zuers-projektbetreiber-verweisen-auf-enormen-zeitdruck_a4341349#gallery=null
It looks like the race will cost an absurd amount of money to stage. Presumably the sums have been done and it was deemed worth it - but to who/whom? It also appears that the taxpayer has contributed at least EUR1.3m, possibly EUR2.3m (the article mentions another EUR500K from the municipalities of Lech and Zürs). How will the taxpayer benefit?
So much waste too. The lighting towers are to be dismantled after the season. What will be the enduring benefit? New pistes and snow-making? Beyond that? I doubt it will result in increased visitation to the area. The effect, especially with covid, will likely be transient - by the time we return to some sort of normal, the race will have been long-forgotten.
Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Tue 10-11-20 21:26; edited 2 times in total
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@ulmerhutte, Zürs is on the FIS calendar for 3 years.
Keep in mind that skiing is like football for Austria.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| ulmerhutte wrote: |
https://www.meinbezirk.at/landeck/c-lokales/flexenarena-zuers-projektbetreiber-verweisen-auf-enormen-zeitdruck_a4341349#gallery=null
It looks like the race will cost an absurd amount of money to stage. Presumably the sums have been done and it was deemed worth it - but to who/whom? It also appears that the taxpayer has contributed at least EUR1.3m, possibly EUR2.3m (the article mentions another EUR500K from the municipalities of Lech and Zürs). How will the taxpayer benefit?
So much waste too. The lighting towers are to be dismantled after the season. What will be the enduring benefit? New pistes and snow-making? Beyond that? I doubt it will result in increased visitation to the area. The effect, especially with covid, will likely be transient - by the time we return to some sort of normal, the race will have been long-forgotten. |
TV money is the driver. Over recent years night races, especially parallel slalom, have burst out all over Europe - "City Races". Broadcast at peak times during the week they pull in sponsors and advertisers easily.
These events are purely for TV, not for tourism. Schaldming being an exception in that it is long standing and pulls a big crowd.
Zurs doesn't have a good catchment area for crowds, being a somewhat remote compared to the likes of Schladming.
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| Langerzug wrote: |
@ulmerhutte, Zürs is on the FIS calendar for 3 years.
Keep in mind that skiing is like football for Austria. |
Yes skiing to Austria is like football to the UK. There's a lot of spectator interest, advertising and hope than their land will win medals/trophies again. 
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This looks to be a pretty short course, though I can see how a night time ski race might be attractive from a TV perspective. I suspect rather like T20 cricket which is a rather poor imitation of test cricket but is good for sponsorship and TV. I suspect that the tourist office will grow attached to the lights etc and, unfortunately, these pretty unattractive structures will become permanent.
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@davidthornton,
TV=mediaexposure=hotelbookings+daytrippers...
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| munich_irish wrote: |
| This looks to be a pretty short course, though I can see how a night time ski race might be attractive from a TV perspective. I suspect rather like T20 cricket which is a rather poor imitation of test cricket but is good for sponsorship and TV. I suspect that the tourist office will grow attached to the lights etc and, unfortunately, these pretty unattractive structures will become permanent. |
Could open up the possibility of some night skiing maybe?
Delayed opening now on the Ski Arlberg and TVB sites, 17th December lifts open.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I agree, what might be useful in some of the family friendly Tirolean spots will be an underused eyesore in Zürs
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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@Langerzug, @munich_irish, @ulmerhutte, Yep, agree on all counts.
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You know it makes sense.
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@ulmerhutte, you might be surprised then that Lech+St.Anton have been campaigning to get the Austrian candicacy for the 2023 Worldchampionships.
Which they lost to Saalbach, and Saalbach lost to Courchevel-Meribel...(Saalbach recently won 2025). Cortina doing coming winter
They are all very interested so it seems...
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Travelling to Austria if its possible .... Dont forget its illegal to be without valid insurance !! 3rd Party is Compulsory at ALL Times.
CoV19
In Austria, the situation is now out of control anyway. Record Day of new infections
Austria is not the most disciplined of peoples . Calculations now assume that Austria will now exceed the 10,000 mark, and not all those infected are tested and recorded by any means.
The tragic thing is that it should not have come this far and the winter season is on the rocks more than
ever.
Belgium and the Netherlands have already announced that there will be no vacations over the Christmas holidays
Mass Winter Tourism will overwhelm the Austrian Health care system ....
Vorarlberg State Governor
""the situation is serious. At this level, (Markus)Wallner makes clear, it cannot continue until December.""
https://www.vol.at/die-lage-ist-ernst-appell-von-lh-markus-wallner/6807043
UK Tourists
With the current record levels of contagion in the UK. IMO I cannot see any hope of UK Citizens being allowed into Austria without PCR &/or Quarantine in the near future ..My guess is probably mid January at the earliest....
https://liveblog.tt.com/414/coronavirus
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Over in Ischgl they are testing the Locals again (last time 6 months ago) for Antibodies & T cells in some folks,..
https://www.tt.com/artikel/30762518/immunantwort-der-ischgler-wird-abermals-in-einer-studie-getestet
I think they will only open a few Lifts for Locals over in Ischgl.
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Zürs FIS World Cup
There will be NO spectators allowed at this event .
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Delayed Opening
Already reported here but this was expected due to the 2nd Nationwide Lockdown which lasts until at least 30 November 2020.
https://www.meinbezirk.at/landeck/c-lokales/st-anton-am-arlberg-verschiebt-saisonstart-auf-17-dezember_a4344407
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Even if you think your OK its irresponsible & not cool to Travel during a these times.
Dont be Part of the Problem.
STAY AT HOME
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Langerzug wrote: |
@ulmerhutte, you might be surprised then that Lech+St.Anton have been campaigning to get the Austrian candicacy for the 2023 Worldchampionships.
Which they lost to Saalbach, and Saalbach lost to Courchevel-Meribel...(Saalbach recently won 2025). Cortina doing coming winter
They are all very interested so it seems... |
I seem to recollect hearing something about that. I wonder if it more about egos than benefits, eg getting a stadium and/or runs named after you. That said, the 2001 WM resulted in the train line in St Anton being rerouted.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Quote: |
With the current record levels of contagion in the UK. IMO I cannot see any hope of UK Citizens being allowed into Austria without PCR &/or Quarantine in the near future ..My guess is probably mid January at the earliest....
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@stanton, I’d say longer, imv early March at best.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@Markymark29, in that case it’s more likely to become December 2021...
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Yes, there will come a point in the season where it will be neither profitable, or even feasible, for a delayed opening. I do not know when, but it is probably reasonable to assume that sometime by around early/mid-March many/most businesses will decide that the season is done.
It may even be as early as the end of February...
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@ulmerhutte, @Langerzug, My comment refers to the UK visitors, i'm sure the resorts will open before that for locals and German visitors, but imv it'll be a fair while until UK residents can enter Austria, i'm certainly not planning anything yet. 
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| ulmerhutte wrote: |
Yes, there will come a point in the season where it will be neither profitable, or even feasible, for a delayed opening. I do not know when, but it is probably reasonable to assume that sometime by around early/mid-March many/most businesses will decide that the season is done.
It may even be as early as the end of February... |
Yes once the school holidays in Feb are over I can't see it being feasible.
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| DB wrote: |
| ulmerhutte wrote: |
Yes, there will come a point in the season where it will be neither profitable, or even feasible, for a delayed opening. I do not know when, but it is probably reasonable to assume that sometime by around early/mid-March many/most businesses will decide that the season is done.
It may even be as early as the end of February... |
Yes once the school holidays in Feb are over I can't see it being feasible. |
Maybe much will depend on the snowfall this winter, how much and how cold.
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Tighter restrictions apparently on their way; to be announced Saturday evening. From Google Translate of an OE24 article:
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| There was no relaxation in the matter of Corona on Friday either: With 9,586 new cases, there was again a record number of corona infected people. As soon as the horror report was published, the so-called "Virological Quartet" - that is, Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, Interior Minister Karl Nehammer (both ÖVP) and Vice Chancellor Werner Kogler and Health Minister Rudolf Anschober - met for extremely discreet deliberations. At the table there was an almost complete lockdown like in spring. Because; Overloading the hospitals must absolutely be prevented. The package will be presented on Saturday at 4.30 p.m. Then at 6 p.m., Minister of Labor and Family Affairs Christine Aschbacher, Minister of Finance Gernot Blümel and Minister of Education Heinz Faßmann (all ÖVP) will appear in front of the press and present further details. |
Much speculation on what restrictions will be announced, but I guess we will find out tonight, unless an insider leaks them.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Given the weather forecast for the next two weeks there would be little or no skiing whatever else is going on. A dusting this weekend then mild and dry, probably too warm for much snow making. Good for solo hiking trips little else. Unless there is a big change weatherwise discussions about being able to open the lifts in December will be rather moot.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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I have observed that all too often that when Australia has a crap season, then the following Austrian season is also not that great - or so it seems. I wonder if: a) I have selective memory, and/or b) there is some correlation and there is an explanation for it? Conversely, sometimes it seems that the relationship is the other way round, but somehow good and bad seasons seem to pair up.
This past winter was a shocker in Australia. Leaving aside COVID restrictions, my home hill was pretty much devoid of snow, except for a few strips of man-made, until late August. There was one decent snowfall then, but the weather turned warm again soon after. So, even without covid, I would have been lucky to get 4 or 5 ski days, compared to the usual 80+ days.
2017 & 2018 were fantastic years in both Australia and the Arlberg. 2019 was “ok” in Australia - an average year. The following season in the Arlberg, ie this year, was “interesting”. Many locals said they had not seen anything like it in living memory. I certainly had not in the 18 years I have been skiing there.
We had a lot of rain, sometimes several days in a row, and up to the top of the mountain. There were runnel grooves in the snow where the rainwater had run off, in places like the Schindler side-piste, and under the Auenfeldjet. We missed being caught out in a big hailstorm by minutes through going in for lunch. I think that was the storm that ripped a chair off the line on Zammermoos. Conversely, had some fantastic powder days, especially when the storm closed Osthang, providing semi-private powder under the ropes into the run and then the trees.
What will 2021 bring? If there is any possibility of going, even towards the end of the season, we will go. We are lucky to have that flexibility.
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Here in Netherlands first -professional, close to government - voices are heard saying the negative traveladvice, currently valid for up to January 15, should be extended to prevent a 3rd Covid wave in February...
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You know it makes sense.
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@ulmerhutte, on one level the weather in the Arlberg has nothing to do with the weather in Australia in the preceding southern hemisphere winter, the are too many variables for there to be any link. However the general global weather patterns are affected by things like El Nino / La Nina which show up as wider scale climatic effects (for Australia El Nino tends to = hot & dry, La Nina = cooler & wetter, for the European alps the effects are less clear cut ). Clearly everywhere is getting warmer and that means more rain / less snow whether in the Arlberg or the Snowy Mountains 
At least folk wont feel too deprived if they are stuck at home looking at webcams showing green mountainsides.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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@munich_irish, well if every so often we have a poor snow season then this season is the one to have it!
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Poster: A snowHead
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@VolklAttivaS5,
I would say the complete opposite. This is the season we want the powder at its deepest. The lift lines are going to be short.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Ld, for those that can get there, yes that would be true
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| Ld wrote: |
@VolklAttivaS5,
I would say the complete opposite. This is the season we want the powder at its deepest. The lift lines are going to be short. |
Depends on who you are, where you are and what stage of the lockdown you are in I'd say.
Even living in Austria doesn't guarantee that I'll be alpine skiing or even ski touring. I could end up looking at nearby powder covered mountains on the TV mountain weather channel every morning but be in lockdown.
If they shut the ski lifts and hotels but still allow us out, there will most likely be masses of ski tourers in the region that I ski tour (Vienna catchment area).
Hope this thing is over sooner so we can all get some turns in.
Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Wed 18-11-20 13:04; edited 1 time in total
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@DB, I can’t wait for it to be over!
To be honest though I think I’d sooner not bother until 21/22 season when things should hopefully be back to normal
If I’m going to spend £1000 say on a ski holiday I want to enjoy it not be thinking about all these other complications, I would sooner stay at home and wait until next winter
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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...the people from Lech (that includes Zürs) always have been quite clever...
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Zürs FIS World Cup LIVE
Thursday 26th 09:50 (CET)
Parallel Lady's in Lech/Zürs: Qualification
https://tvthek.orf.at/live/FIS-Ski-Weltcup-Parallelbewerb-der-Damen-Lech-Zuers-Der-Countdown/14093731
Austria (Vorarlberg) still planning opening for mid December despit pressure from Bavaria, Italy & France
https://vorarlberg.orf.at/stories/3077656/
Markus Soder (Bavarian President) has the backing of Chancellor Merkel ..
Austria will look for €2Billion compensation (unlikely) if season delayed until Mid January.
https://www.sueddeutsche.de/politik/coronavirus-coronakrise-oesterreich-skigebiete-tourismus-1.5127071
The final decision will come from Federal level in Vienna
No one is going catch Covid out on hill (6hrs/25%) everyone knows this but it is everything else (18hrs/75%) associated with Winter sports.
Groups of peoples from all over Europe in very warm heated buildings. No where (Accommodation's, Restaurants, etc ) is going to have the windows open for fresh air in Winter....that is just not going to happen.
It seems irresponsible to allow/invite tourists from all over Europe/World to small Austrian towns/villages where they will
mix together in close quarters. Then they will all return to their homes countries/towns ....
March 2020 was not that long ago. People have very short memory's.....
IMO (only): Will be a very difficult decision for Vienna but I expect Austria to capitulate under pressure.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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I may be wrong but my theory for this winter will be that all ski resorts will be closed in France Italy and Austria I think they will all agree with one another (reluctantly) to close for the whole season. Simply because of the reasons above i.e not the skiing itself but lots of people mingling together for a week or two from all over Europe and then returning home.
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I cannot see much support in the Austrian Government for closing down the whole season. In an article in Spiegel, which has been reposted multiple times, the Austrian Tourism Minister (not too subtly) suggested that Italy, Germany, and France butt out - Austria will make its own decisions on skiing, with snow sports being "indispensable" to the country's GDP (circa-15%).
That said, the Arlberg, and probably most other "international" Austrian resorts, rely heavily on tourism from Germany, England, Netherlands, with lesser, but still significant contributions from Italy, Scandi, and ???. If the borders are closed, or onerous quarantine restrictions are imposed, then their hands may be forced.
...and, just to top it off, it would be fair to say that the Arlberg is having a slow start, even though it is only the start of Dec. The next weather, due in about a week, is apparently a north-easterly system, which traditionally does not result in big accumulations in the Arlberg.
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FAQ
